News

San Jose Sharks fall to Phoenix Coyotes with Antti Niemi on bench after 24 straight starts

By David Pollak dpollak@mercurynews.com

Posted:
04/24/2013 09:51:36 PM PDT

Updated:
04/24/2013 11:37:39 PM PDT

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- File this one under missed opportunities.

The Sharks lost the chance to improve their odds for home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs Wednesday night, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Phoenix Coyotes hours after the Los Angeles Kings were defeated in Detroit.

The Sharks were without stellar goalie Antti Niemi in net for the first time in 25 games, as coach Todd McLellan opted to give backup Thomas Greiss his first action since March 6 to better prepare him for the playoffs.

"I don't think Nemo needs the rest. Thomas needs the work," McLellan said before the game. "If something -- knock on wood -- happens to Nemo, we're going to kick ourselves in the butt for not having played Thomas."

Greiss wasn't the problem Wednesday night. In fact, McLellan saw his play as a bright spot.

"I thought he was exceptionally sharp. The first two chances they had were them staring him down, and he made very good saves," the coach said. "The loss is one thing, and that's disappointing, but the fact Thomas went in and played very well is a rewarding thing for our club."

The big problem was a sluggish first period that saw Phoenix build a 2-0 lead on goals by defensemen Michael Stone and Keith Yandle. Brent Burns scored San Jose's only goal early in the second period.

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The decision to start Greiss left McLellan open to second-guessing, as the Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues are all competing for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Greiss, who made 30 saves in defeat, said he felt pretty good about his performance, shaking off a little rust and finding the right "level of aggressiveness while staying calm at the same time."

His first save came on a breakaway by Lauri Korpikoski, but Greiss played down the specific threat -- "You save the first, it doesn't matter if it's a muffin from the blue line or a breakaway."

The game winner by Yandle was a power-play shot from the blue line that deflected off defenseman Brad Stuart's stick. The original shot was headed to the far post, Greiss said, but ended up going five-hole.

While San Jose went with Greiss, the Coyotes had Sharks nemesis Mike Smith in net. Smith, who made 33 saves for the victory, had shut out San Jose in four of the past six games he faced them.

After the Sharks clinched their playoff spot 24 hours earlier, McLellan indicated he didn't want to see the team's sense of relief become a "sense of relaxation," but that appeared to be what happened in a listless first period.

"Probably," defenseman Dan Boyle said. "Just the intensity, the effort. We were too loose in the first. But I liked the effort we came back with in the second and third."

San Jose ends the regular season Saturday night against the Kings in Los Angeles, and a victory will put the Sharks ahead of the defending Stanley Cup champions. But if the Blues win the two remaining games on their schedule, they will vault past both California teams and end up as the fourth seed.

McLellan made two other lineup changes, sitting defenseman Scott Hannan and center Scott Gomez in favor of defenseman Matt Tennyson and center James Sheppard. The coach said Gomez was "not feeling real good today," adding that was not related to the hit he took from Eric Cole on Tuesday night against Dallas.